Written answers

Tuesday, 28 November 2006

Department of Education and Science

Home-School Liaison Scheme

10:00 am

Photo of Paul Connaughton  SnrPaul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 439: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason schools (details supplied) in County Galway have been informed that they will lose their home school community liaison teacher in September 2007; if her attention has been drawn to the work that has been done by these schools in this regard and of the continuing necessity to continue to bridge the gulf between dysfunctional families and school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40105/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Home/School/Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) is a major mainstream preventative strategy targeted at pupils at risk of not reaching their potential in the educational system because of background characteristics which tend to affect adversely pupil attainment and school retention. The scheme is concerned with establishing partnership and collaboration between parents and teachers in the interests of children's learning. It focuses directly on the salient adults in children's educational lives and seeks indirect benefits for the children themselves.

Under DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion, which is currently being implemented by my Department, I recently announced the allocation of 80 additional posts in order to extended Home School Community Liaison services to all 338 urban/town primary and 203 second level schools participating in the School Support Programme under DEIS that do not currently have the service, in addition to the 370 local coordinators already in place.

In addition, schools in the HSCL scheme not selected under DEIS, including the two schools referred to by the Deputy, will continue to receive HSCL services after 2006/2007. HSCL services will be provided to some 650 schools (282 second level and 370 primary schools), however, following a full review of HSCL clustering arrangements by my Department in the coming year, the level of service may change to some schools to ensure that all schools receive HSCL services in line with their level of disadvantage and size and to facilitate local HSCL coordinators working with families of disadvantaged children across both primary and second level.

The rationale behind DEIS is to ensure that the most disadvantaged schools benefit from all of the available supports. Targeting resources at the most disadvantaged schools who are working to counteract educational disadvantage will continue to be a priority for the Government.

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